TCT’s ‘A Day within the Lifetime of…’ sequence has been primarily launched for faculty and college alumni to higher perceive what profession alternatives in additive manufacturing (AM) can be found to them. All through the sequence, TCT will spend time with a number of AM professionals to speak what their day-to-day duties are, what sorts of groups they work inside, what they’ve learnt on the job, and the way they obtained to the place they’re immediately. On this instalment, Vasia Papadopoulou of additive manufacturing OEM Stratasys explains the position of an Additive Manufacturing Engineer.
Vasia Papadopoulou lives life on her personal phrases and stands by her decisions.
Her quick profession to this point is punctuated by a sequence of selections which have led her to an organization, a metropolis and a rustic that she didn’t count on to reach at.
And in her position as AM Engineer at Stratasys’ Additive Manufacturing Heart in Baden-Baden, Germany, every process is met with an inspiring perspective.
As you’ll study, Vasia just isn’t confronted with many assignments that don’t whet her urge for food, however even on the uncommon event she is, her normal response is among the utmost professionalism.
“I discover one other method to consider it, I modify my mindset after which it will get which means,” she tells TCT.
She attracts the road on the time it takes for her pc to course of a very advanced software program process, however Vasia’s method to her work is an enlightening one.
A generic job title at most likely the biggest additive manufacturing firm on this planet, you’ll be forgiven for pondering there isn’t an attention-grabbing story to inform about Vasia’s position. You’d be incorrect – an instance being Vasia thinks she is perhaps the one worker at Stratasys with this job title – however forgiven all the identical.
“After we get the position, we begin to form it from the start,” she says. “Now we have the bottom, after which kind it and form it to ourselves and the way we prefer it. My job just isn’t all over the place, I create it as I prefer it and as I get pleasure from it. I want that extra folks would perceive that and make their job enjoyable. Put their hobbies into the job.”
Q. What sort of individuals are good for a job like yours?
VP: Individuals who wish to be technical but additionally have nice creativeness. I can’t put any limits right here. Being an additive manufacturing engineer can have every little thing.
A TYPICAL DAY
So what has Vasia fabricated from the AM Engineer position she began in January 2023?
Employed to primarily oversee high quality management in a Stratasys benchmarking centre, she rapidly took it upon herself to assist efforts throughout the broader workflow. As a workforce, these working on this facility are supporting clients in bringing their concepts to fruition, serving to with the design of elements that could be appropriate for additive manufacturing, and returning pattern prints based mostly on the parameter units they’re working with.
“I like being part of all levels by means of this workflow,” Vasia says. “From the conceptualisation with the shopper, the introduction to printing, the operation of the machines, 3D design and likewise high quality management. After which additionally serving to the shopper implement additive manufacturing to their very own manufacturing.”
It’s spectacular, then, that Vasia even has time to debate her position.
As we speak, as she does every single day, she arrived on the facility earlier than 7am. Such is the quantity of benchmarking requests acquired at this centre, a number of prints will probably be left to run over evening, and Vasia likes to reach as early as attainable in order that she will be able to promptly replace the shoppers of their progress once they go online.
“When the folks get up and begin asking, ‘The place’s my benchmark, how did it go?’ I’ve to ensure that the machine ran and remains to be working with none points.”
That is high of the precedence listing for the resident high quality management specialist. Second on that listing is espresso – “It’s a should. With out espresso, the clocks don’t transfer.” – after which she will be able to start to reply to these consumer emails. By now, her colleagues have arrived, had their morning espresso and cleared their respective inboxes too. Vasia will subsequently begin a communication and change session with the remainder of the workforce, permitting them to atone for the progress and standing of prints that have been below someone else’s supervision.
Then, the clock will most likely want some extra encouragement, so one other espresso it’s. Vasia will now start to liaise with colleagues internationally, connecting with clients by way of the gross sales workforce, and likewise touching base with advertising and marketing employees forward of the following commerce present – Vasia is considered one of a number of Stratasys engineers who may assist out with new designs for pattern elements. One other group of employees Vasia will be certain to attach with frequently is the regional technical engineers. This, she sees, is a chance to supply her suggestions as a person of Stratasys machines to the individuals who need to deal with any bugs or glitches.
Since Stratasys likes to open its doorways to potential clients, Vasia may also discover herself internet hosting excursions of the power now and again, whereas she is at all times prepared to proceed conversations with clients at commerce exhibits like Formnext.
“Most individuals that take part in these exhibits attempt to discover new stuff, ‘What did this competitor do or what’s new concerning supplies?’ What I do is speak to folks, clients, and see what the wants are within the business in the meanwhile and check out to determine how additive manufacturing can supply options to these issues.”
Q. Why ought to someone wish to work within the 3D printing house?
VP: I believe it is the know-how of the long run. Many firms have realised that. In ten years, I believe that it may be applied and built-in in each manufacturing [environment]. From this facet, it’s totally significant to get into 3D printing.
THE ROLE BEYOND THE TITLE
“The primary idea, from how I see it, is bringing concepts to life,” Vasia says of her position.
That goes past simply getting a component to return out of the opposite finish of the printer, however to make steps in direction of the realisation of a enterprise case for additive manufacturing. It’s much less about what’s attainable with 3D printing, and extra about what’s smart to 3D print.
Vasia is considered one of a workforce of 5 on the Additive Manufacturing Heart in Baden-Baden, reporting as much as the Supervisor of all the facility. Her designated position is to supervise high quality management, ensuring that every benchmark is able to be despatched on to clients.
This is a vital step of the method since additive manufacturing is a comparatively new know-how and, likelihood is, there isn’t any standardised course of for the half requests coming by means of to the Additive Manufacturing Heart. The method applied at this facility is the work of Vasia.
“The entire system is one thing that I constructed up,” she tells TCT. “I created the entire course of and the pamphlets that we despatched to the shoppers with details about the printing parameters, together with a top quality management guidelines.”
To make sure these benchmarks will be as informative as attainable to the shoppers, Vasia is in fixed contact with the appliance engineering and gross sales division. This course of, Vasia considers, is crucial. However she can also be prepared to hold out work that isn’t thought-about important per the phrases of her employment.
One instance is Vasia’s completion of the Buyer Service Engineer coaching for PolyJet know-how that Stratasys affords to employees. It signifies that Vasia can now repair machines as much as a particular degree, calibrating methods and addressing minor issues that shouldn’t require the experience of a delegated upkeep engineer. It has proved a useful skillset to have when working on-site with machines on the Additive Manufacturing Heart and with clients who’re new to 3D printing.
When time opens up, Vasia can also be eager to maintain observe of business information by means of the varied media shops serving the business, and she’s going to often return to a listing of concepts she has: engaged on the designs of elements and printing them to see how they end up.
Q. If you happen to might give your youthful self some profession recommendation?
VP: Attempt to carry your hobbies into your job as quickly as attainable, and preserve them there, and at all times attempt to attain increased, as a result of something is feasible. I by no means imagined that I’d be employed by Stratasys, to be trustworthy. I did this on a whim and right here I’m.
THE PATHWAY
Vasia has at all times had a artistic thoughts, which is what set her on the trail in direction of a job as an additive manufacturing engineer. She doesn’t suppose creativity is essential to this sort of job, however it undoubtedly makes it extra enjoyable. The flexibility to have an concept in your head within the morning and a component in your hand by the tip of the day by no means wears skinny, and actually, solely serves to maintain the artistic juices flowing.
Communication has at all times been one other of Vasia’s strengths and one once more she will get to utilise often; with colleagues when engaged on the most recent benchmark project, and with clients when articulating the findings.
Vasia takes communication one step additional as a multi-linguist. Her curiosity in languages is a key motive she’s now based mostly in Germany.
Over ten years in the past now, she commenced her research on the Aristotle College of Thessaloniki, selecting up a diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 2019. She then had a few freelance and internship mechanical design and engineering roles in Greece, earlier than discovering work on the Centre for Analysis & Expertise Hellas.
Having accomplished a 3D printing course at college and thru the small world of additive manufacturing in Greece, she was headhunted for a job on the Centre for Analysis & Expertise Hellas, who have been within the strategy of constructing out a 3D printing lab. As a Mechanical Design Engineer, her position right here was to check supplies and parameter units throughout a variety of 3D printing applied sciences as a part of a sequence of analysis efforts.
What adopted was a brief stint at a Greek start-up earlier than the chance at Stratasys offered itself. Whereas progressing steadily in her profession, Vasia had been studying Japanese and German in her spare time. She was not unaware of the job alternatives this might confide in her, however equally, it wasn’t at all times within the plan to maneuver her life to Germany.
Stratasys, although, was on the lookout for someone similar to Vasia. And Vasia thought, “Perhaps this works for me, let’s attempt it.”
